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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 26, 2018 10:30:42 GMT -8
This is an interesting announcement for the Gabriola and Quadra island routes: I thought this was still in the "consultation, not going to ever happen" phase. from HERE
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 26, 2018 12:34:40 GMT -8
Here's some thinking-aloud comments that I posted today on a Gabriola facebook group:
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Post by Kahn_C on Jul 27, 2018 7:13:54 GMT -8
I don't remember seeing it when I looked before, but I might just have been out of it... it looks like Damen has updated the "Road Ferry 8117" product PDF to include the vessel schematics (page 2). Damen Road Ferry 8117
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,192
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Post by Neil on Aug 7, 2018 21:43:46 GMT -8
It looks like the fourth Salish class vessel recently announced will be replacing the Mayne Queen on route five. Admittedly, that's not what was specified, but it's probably the case.
Yesterday, there was a service announcement regarding a delay with the 'Cumberland, mentioning the use of both retractable cardecks as part of the reason.
I really dislike the idea of ferries with ramps that have to be moved serving on routes where a quick turnaround is necessary. The Salish Orca is probably okay at Little River- despite being too small- given that there is usually a generous amount of time at dock between sailings. But I really hope that BC Ferries doesn't decide to try to minimize overall vessel size by packing vehicle capacity into below or above deck spaces, accessible by ramps. It could very well be false economy if boats are held in dock longer in order to load.
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Post by WettCoast on Aug 7, 2018 22:13:09 GMT -8
It looks like the fourth Salish class vessel recently announced will be replacing the Mayne Queen on route five. Admittedly, that's not what was specified, but it's probably the case. Yesterday, there was a service announcement regarding a delay with the ' Cumberland, mentioning the use of both retractable cardecks as part of the reason. I really dislike the idea of ferries with ramps that have to be moved serving on routes where a quick turnaround is necessary. The Salish Orca is probably okay at Little River- despite being too small- given that there is usually a generous amount of time at dock between sailings. But I really hope that BC Ferries doesn't decide to try to minimize overall vessel size by packing vehicle capacity into below or above deck spaces, accessible by ramps. It could very well be false economy if boats are held in dock longer in order to load. I tend to agree with you Neil, except that another option for BC Ferries is to simply pad the schedule as they do on Route 2 during busier times of the year. By padding I mean increasing the dwell time at stops where the ramps might be expected to be deployed during the summer season and at other times when demand is high.
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Post by Kahn_C on Sept 6, 2018 20:28:14 GMT -8
The renders for the Island Class ( Road Ferry 8117 E3) on the Damen web sites are slowly becoming more detailed and looking less and less like artist impressions.
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Post by Kahloke on Sept 24, 2018 19:26:40 GMT -8
I kind think having two ferries on Campbell River to Quadra Island is stupid decision because having two vessel on ten route isn’t best use of money in world. I think BC Ferries should have considered moving the Selena Queen to Quadra Island and built another Intermediate class vessel for Fuildford Harbour route because it is 35 minute sailing which should have vessel with super stature above the car deck since Bowen Island has Queen of Capilano. What on earth is the Selena Queen???Don’t know, but apparently it’s at Fuildford Harbour, wherever that is, and it needs a super stature, but then again, don’t we all need a super stature?
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Post by WettCoast on Sept 24, 2018 19:59:15 GMT -8
What on earth is the Selena Queen??? Don’t know, but apparently it’s at Fuildford Harbour, wherever that is, and it needs a super stature, but then again, don’t we all need a super stature? You should all be thankful that you were granted the faculties that you have. It could very well have been different & people might make merry of your misfortune. Think about it.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,192
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Post by Neil on Sept 24, 2018 20:27:46 GMT -8
Don’t know, but apparently it’s at Fuildford Harbour, wherever that is, and it needs a super stature, but then again, don’t we all need a super stature? You should all be thankful that you were granted the faculties that you have. It could very well have been different & people might make merry of your misfortune. Think about it. I did think about it, but I ignored the thought, out of pique at a discordant post. Thanks for the reality check, Jim. I was wrong- and insensitive- to post that.
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Sept 24, 2018 21:02:20 GMT -8
I think having two vessels on the Campbell River to Quadra Island route was a bad decision because two vessels on a ten minute route which is not the best use of money. I feel that BC Ferries should have considered moving the Skeena Queen to Campbell River to Quadra Island route and built another Intermediate class vessel for Fuldford Harbour route because it is a 35 minute sailing which should have a vessel with superstructure above the car deck for passenger lounge.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,192
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Post by Neil on Sept 24, 2018 21:52:22 GMT -8
I think having two vessels on the Campbell River to Quadra Island route was a bad decision because two vessels on a ten minute route which is not the best use of money. I feel that BC Ferries should have considered moving the Skeena Queen to Campbell River to Quadra Island route and built another Intermediate class vessel for Fuldford Harbour route because it is a 35 minute sailing which should have a vessel with superstructure above the car deck for passenger lounge. Two new ferries for Quadra is extremely expensive, and it's particularly galling for islands like mine (Hornby) where there is no improvement planned for twelve years. On the other hand... a Skeena Queen type vessel would not work there. The Campbell River terminal empties right onto a downtown Campbell River street, and the time it would take for one hundred cars to exit would be prohibitive. The idea is to spread out the traffic over two fifty car ferries, and also to not have a need to enlarge the terminal. Cardeck lounges often make a lot more sense than an upper lounge, even at Saltspring. For one thing, you don't need an elevator.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 6, 2018 11:56:54 GMT -8
A new official document has been released, regarding the process of acquiring 4 new Island Class vessels and 1 new Salish Class vessel: HEREThis is the document where BC Ferries expresses its reasons to the Ferry Commissioner, regarding the ships that it wants to acquire. …"May we please acquire 5 more ships, sir." -------------- Highlights: For those keeping track, these 4 new Island Class ships are in addition to the 2 Island Class ships that are already under construction and headed for Port McNeill and Texada. ----------------
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 6, 2018 12:38:12 GMT -8
Here is some new info on the once-planned "Shuttle Class" larger intermediate ferries: from HERE
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Post by Starsteward on Nov 7, 2018 14:21:09 GMT -8
Thanks 'LLM" for posting the brief outline of BCFS's 'Alternative Vessel Class Strategy'. Here is a 'time commitment' warning for anyone daring enough to click on the from 'Here' that 'LLM' has provided. If you should be doing something in your daily routine that is normally more important or you have to be somewhere for an appointment etc., please ensure that you have a beverage refill handy plus whatever comfort ancillaries you normally utilize as you can look forward to 108 pages of mesmerizing information! Read on. You have been warned.LOL
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 7, 2018 18:26:44 GMT -8
Thanks 'LLM" for posting the brief outline of BCFS's 'Alternative Vessel Class Strategy'. Here is a 'time commitment' warning for anyone daring enough to click on the from 'Here' that 'LLM' has provided. If you should be doing something in your daily routine that is normally more important or you have to be somewhere for an appointment etc., please ensure that you have a beverage refill handy plus whatever comfort ancillaries you normally utilize as you can look forward to 108 pages of mesmerizing information! Read on. You have been warned.LOL haha, thanks StarSteward. For these kinds of documents, it's important to know the context. This is BC Ferries pleading with the commissioner to "please let us buy some new ships." Part of the pleading is to explain why the current ships are no longer a viable alternative. I found that part interesting, with the history-summary of each of the 3 to-be-retired ships.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 7, 2019 15:06:24 GMT -8
From a January 7, 2019 BC Ferry Commissioner order: (This is regarding Commissioner approval of the 4 Island Class ships (destined for Quadra and Gabriola routes) and the 1 new Salish Class ship (destined for Route 5/5A)) I didn't find much new in this series of documents. Here are some things that interested me: ------------- from HERE
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Post by articulated on Jan 19, 2019 7:57:35 GMT -8
I have a few questions regarding the "additional tie-up berths" for the new Island Class ferries on route 19 and 23 mentioned in Low Light Mike's post above:
1) The report sounds like both of these tie-up berths will be on the Vancouver Island side (in Nanaimo Harbour and Campbell River respectively) as opposed to the island sides, where both ferries are currently stored and crewed from. Both harbours at Gabriola Island and Quathiaski Cove look too cramped to install second berths anyway, just looking at them from Google Maps. Would this indicate that crewing for the second vessels will be based from Nanaimo and Campbell River, or will the crew have to ride the 1st (island-based) vessel across in order to start up and begin service on the 2nd vessel?
2) What will be the design of these "additional tie-up berths"? Will they be fully functional second berths, similar to say Saltery Bay and Earls Cove? Or will they be sort of off-shore tie-up posts, requiring staff to be shuttled from shore in the other vessel, similar to how Bowen Queen is stored at Fulford Harbour when not in use?
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Post by Kahloke on Jan 19, 2019 12:47:36 GMT -8
I have a few questions regarding the "additional tie-up berths" for the new Island Class ferries on route 19 and 23 mentioned in Low Light Mike's post above: 2) What will be the design of these "additional tie-up berths"? Will they be fully functional second berths, similar to say Saltery Bay and Earls Cove? Or will they be sort of off-shore tie-up posts, requiring staff to be shuttled from shore in the other vessel, similar to how Bowen Queen is stored at Fulford Harbour when not in use? Or, will the tie-up berths be something more like this? This may not be the best example, as this is not a BC Ferries dock, but this is how WSF does tie-up berths - simply a passenger ramp where an auto ramp would normally be. This particular location is Friday Harbor, but it is similar at other terminals where tie-up slips (berths) exist. In Friday Harbor, they will also use the tie-up slip (berth) to unload foot passengers when another ferry is in the main slip. This most often occurs in the afternoon when the returning international ferry is in the slip when the inter-island ferry arrives. Passengers on the inter-island ferry will offload at the tie up slip, then when the international boat leaves, the II ferry will move over to the main slip to offload the cars, and then re-load for the next trip.
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Post by Ferryman on Jan 23, 2019 22:30:41 GMT -8
The Island Class Ferry page on the BC Ferries website has become alot more detailed. Haven't found much in terms of updates to the progress of the newbuilds themselves, however there is a fair bit regarding the public engagement/consultations in all of the areas that these 6 vessels are expected to serve by 2021. www.bcferries.com/about/projects/island-class-2021.html
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Post by Scott on Feb 26, 2019 20:33:33 GMT -8
The first Island Class vessel was launched in Galați, Romania on Thursday, February 7, 2019.
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Post by Dane on Feb 27, 2019 10:14:27 GMT -8
Is it unusual to launch a boat without a name? I feel like they've always been named at launch?
Great photos, pretty nice looking boat!
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Post by compdude787 on Feb 27, 2019 16:59:07 GMT -8
Is it unusual to launch a boat without a name? I feel like they've always been named at launch? Great photos, pretty nice looking boat! I don't know, but it seems pretty unusual to me. I'm surprised that BCFrerries hasn't come up with/ announced names for these new ferries yet. Personally I'd hope to see names like Texada Island, Quadra Island, etc. Not super imaginative but it's still preferable over some cheesy name like Island Dream.
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Post by Starsteward on Feb 28, 2019 4:58:31 GMT -8
Is it unusual to launch a boat without a name? I feel like they've always been named at launch? Great photos, pretty nice looking boat! I don't know, but it seems pretty unusual to me. I'm surprised that BCFrerries hasn't come up with/ announced names for these new ferries yet. Personally I'd hope to see names like Texada Island, Quadra Island, etc. Not super imaginative but it's still preferable over some cheesy name like Island Dream. Yes, it is somewhat curious that BC Ferries haven't sought any public input into the naming of the Island class vessels and having the first vessel launched un-named. (Although, historically ships have been launched with construction/working aliases in the past). With BCFS naming the new-builds group as 'Island class', one might preclude that the word 'Island' may well be part of a vessel's final designation but perhaps this class of vessels will be, as compdude787 suggests plainly geographically descriptive.
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Post by timmyc on Feb 28, 2019 17:01:33 GMT -8
Is it unusual to launch a boat without a name? I feel like they've always been named at launch? Great photos, pretty nice looking boat! What's even odder is that she appears to have been christened - note the bottle smash photo, and the woman with flowers whom I can only assume was the sponsor. Both those elements usually are part of the christening/naming ceremony, which can happen after the physical launch itself (see HMCS Harry DeWolf's recent series of activities - name was selected long ago, of course, but actual naming/christening ceremony occurred a few weeks after putting into water).
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Post by mokumoku on Feb 28, 2019 20:26:45 GMT -8
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